It’s that time of year where, nearly everywhere you go, you are surrounded by sweets and goodies. It is most likely that all of us, at one point or another, will succumb to the delicious treats we find, as we make our way through the holiday season. With that in mind, here are a few tips to protect your smile this holiday season!

Eat the Sweets All at Once! It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s better to eat the sugary treats all at once so that afterward you can rinse with water and let your mouth return to it’s normal state. If you graze on sweet treats throughout the day, your mouth never gets a break from the acidic environment that the sugar creates, and it can be very hard on your enamel. So, if you are going to eat some treats, eat them in one sitting and be done!
Don’t Use Your Teeth as Openers! This time of year, we tend to have a lot of packages and special treats to open. Sometimes cellophane, ribbons and other wrapping can be difficult to open. However, we warn you not to give in to the temptation to use your teeth! Use a scissors or some other tool to open those packages- you don’t want to risk breaking a tooth, especially this time of year.
Carry a ‘Tooth-Kit’ in Your Car! This time of year we keep things like emergency blankets and jumper cables in our cars, just in case. It’s a good idea to carry a travel size toothbrush, toothpaste and floss in your car with you also! This way, between parties or family visits, you can make sure your teeth are clean, and ready for your next social event. Keep that smile fresh!

One of Dr. Wilk’s favorite phrases is, “Everything in moderation”.

While, he does say this all of the time, it is especially true at this time of year. We don’t want you to feel like you can’t go have a sweet from the break room at work, BUT be sure not to graze all through the day, and be sure to DRINK WATER throughout the day! (Like you haven’t heard that before!) Last, but certainly not least, be sure to keep up with your oral hygiene routine at home - brush for 2 minutes, 2 times a day and floss once a day. Keep Smiling!

We were honored to be named the 2016 Business of the Year by the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce! We received the award at the Hartford Chamber Annual Dinner on March 3rd, where Dr. Wilk thanked all of our staff for their dedication and hard work. We are truly grateful to be part of this community and for our Sharing Smiles philosophy to be noticed in this way.

Dr. Wilk, Hartford Chamber of Commerce Director, Scott Henke, and the U.S. Open Trophy, which was on display at the Annual Dinner!

Business of the Year for Hartford means a lot to us, as so does our community! Our mission of Sharing Smiles is about providing outstanding customer service and care to our patients when they are in the office, AND making sure we are giving back and Sharing Smiles beyond the doors of office as well.

Staff members enjoying the Annual Dinner!

And our community offers some wonderful events to get involved in. Just an example of some of our favorites (but not all!) are:

Hartford's Holiday Riverwalk

Pink Pumpkin Run

The Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing

Hartford Rotary Wine and Beer Tasting Night

The Medical Center Foundation of Hartford Goldbug Golf Outing

The Hartford Business Improvement District Christmas Parade

If you haven't attended or heard of some of these events, we encourage you to check them out! We also really look forward to our Sharing Smiles Events. More on this to come soon, as our next one is March 25th, but these are our days of free dentistry to serve community members in need and without means.

Stephanie Klett, Wi Secretary of Tourism, with Dr. Wilk and Dr. Dowden.

This award will serve as a great reminder of why we do what we do and what our mission is all about. We are truly honored and humbled to have received the 2016 Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award and we thank the Chamber for recognizing us in this way!